LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. (March 26, 2021) – Despite producing 16 runs on 23 hits it took a throwing error by Tigers pitcher Darius Blasingane in the bottom of the ninth to give the Florida National baseball team (7-19) a 16-15 victory over Edward Waters on Friday evening.
The game – the first of a three-game weekend set between the two squads – was scoreless through two. However, no inning after that went without at least on team post a run on the scoreboard.
EWC got this started with a two-run blast by Marcus Judd in the top of the third to give the Tigers a 2-0. His home run was one-of-six hit in the game by both teams. FNU Carlos Cartaya cleared the fence with a blast of his own in the bottom of the third. This time it was with the bases loaded for a grand slam to give the Conquistadors a 4-2 lead. Cartaya finished the game hitting 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored.
The Conquistadors jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits in the frame. A three-run homer by Manuel Blanco and a two-run shot by Daniel Rodriguez highlighted that inning. Blanco went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored versus the Tigers while Rodriguez was 3-for-5 from the dish with two RBI and two runs scored.
After an RBI-double by Judd in the top of the fifth cut the FNU lead to 10-3, the Conquistadors added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to jump out to a 13-3 advantage. FNU recorded its fourth home run of the game in that inning as Christopher Mendez send a shot over the right-center field fence. Mendez was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate with one driven in and one run scored.
The Conquistadors looked to end the game in seven, needing just three outs to end the game but EWC scored four to make it 13-7 FNU and keep the contest alive. FNU added a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 14-7.
The contest moved to the top of the ninth with the Conquistadors holding a seven-run lead. However, the Tigers rattled off eight runs in the top of the inning to take their first lead since 2-0 back in the third.
In the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and second, a throwing error by EWC’s Blasingane on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Edgar Perez allowed Rodriguez to score from third followed by Jeremy De La Cruz Chan, who eluded a tag by Tigers catcher Ricardo Santana for the game-winning run.
Reliever Anthony Iglesias (1-0) earned the win, entering the game in the top of the ninth with only one out. The left-hander struck out two to keep the game at a one-run deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth.
The Conquistadors return to action on Saturday, March 27, with a doubleheader versus the Tigers to close out the three-game we
